The lifeboat, under the command of coxswain Dean Hegarty, launched shortly after 2pm after Valentia Coast Guard radio received reports that a visitor to the island off the Beara Peninsula had gone missing.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D., officially opened the new Harbour Administration building in Castletownbere and took the opportunity of his visit to the town to inspect progress on the €23.5m, 216-metre long fishing quay extension project and associated works on Dinish Island as part of Project Ireland 2040.

On opening the building the Minister said; “This building provides fit for purpose offices whereby harbour users can carry out their business with the Harbour Master in a professional and modern space. The building will be shared with the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority facilitating a more efficient and effective delivery of services making it a one-stop shop for harbour users.”

"The value of landings into Castletownbere increased by 275% between 2010 and 2017"

Castletownbere is the primary urban, economic and social centre on the Beara Peninsula in South West Ireland. The harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world and is formed by Dinish Island to the south (hosting most of the fisheries infrastructure and processing activity) and the town of Castletownbere to the north. Castletownbere Fishery Harbour Centre is one of Ireland’s major fishing ports and is Ireland’s largest whitefish port. Proximity to rich fishing grounds makes Castletownbere an attractive fish landing location for Irish and foreign vessels.

The Minister went on to say that “The Harbour Administration Building provides a new focal point in the town and forms part of a wider and ongoing integrated Harbour Development programme. It demonstrates a commitment to rural development by this Government and spearheads further improvements in the town proposed by Cork County Council.”

In respect of the European Maritime & Fisheries Fund co-funded €23.5m, 216m quay extension on Dinish Island the Minister said; “I took this opportunity to inspect progress on this large investment in the seafood industry in Castletownbere, and I am delighted to say that it is coming in within budget and ahead of schedule.”

The quay extension project in conjunction with the new Harbour Administration building forms part of a wider Harbour Development programme. The new extended quay will almost double the landing space available to fishermen, alleviate current congestion issues and provide for the possibility of increased fish landings and opportunities for further economic diversification compatible with the fishing industry.

Between 2010 and 2017 the value of fish landings into Castletownbere increased by 275%, from €29.9m to €112.3m, with volumes increasing by 91% over the same period from 19,030 tonnes to 36,446 tonnes.

The Minister said that “when completed the new quay will future proof the seafood sector in Castletownbere, will significantly drive forward the fishing industry and local economy on the Beara Peninsula and allow for a major expansion of the seafood support sector and other marine-related industries in the South West.”

Gardaí in Cork have launched an investigation after human remains were recovered by the crew of a fishing vessel 180 nautical miles off Castletownbere in Co Cork at the weekend.

TheJournal.ie reports that the vessel docked in Castletownbere on Sunday evening (20 January) and the remains were transferred to Cork University Hospital where a post-mortem was performed yesterday (Tuesday 22 January).

#Lifeboats - Castletownbere’s all-weather lifeboat launched last night (Wednesday 10 October) to a Mayday from six fisherman whose boat lost power and was drifting rapidly towards the shore.

Pagers sounded for the volunteer RNLI crew at 7.30pm following the alert to the Irish Coast Guard from the 25m fishing boat, which had fouled its propeller at the entrance to the West Cork harbour.

With time of the essence, coxswain Dean Hegarty and his four crew launched immediately and the lifeboat was on scene within five minutes, at which point the vessel was just 20 metres from the shore.

The boat had been blown into a small area by Pipers Rock at the harbour mouth in south-westerly Force 8-9 gales and amid a 4-5m swell.

The lifeboat crew worked quickly to set up a towline and rescue the boat and her crew from immediate danger before bringing them safely back to Castletownbere.

“Given the weather conditions and how close the fishing boat was drifting to the shore at this point, the lifeboat’s timely arrival managed to avert a potential tragedy,” said Paul Stevens, Castletownbere RNLI lifeboat operations manager.

“The fishermen did the right thing in raising the alarm when they did and we would like to wish them well following what must have been a challenging experience.”

The works are being advanced by civil engineering crews working both from the adjacent lands, existing harbour infrastructure, and from jack-up barges, pontoons, heavy civil engineering plant and machinery, work vessels and platforms. Divers will also be also employed on site.

For safety reasons, mariners are advised to proceed slowly and with caution in the approach channel to the inner harbour, and within the inner harbour area, and to give theworks a clear berth. Wave wash from vessels should be avoided.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D., attended the signing of a contract for a €23.5 million, 216m long quay development project and associated works on Dinish Island, Castletownbere in County Cork.

Welcoming the signing of the contract with contractor L&M Keating Ltd, the Minister said “This is a very significant investment for the South West and will be a big boost to the Beara Peninsula and West Cork in general. The Project will double the workable quay space on Dinish Island in Castletownbere and will enable significant expansion in fish landings, onshore processing and general marine activity at this major port.

The Minister went on to say that “In approving this development, I have taken account of the unprecedented success of the previous development in increasing fish landings to Castletownbere. That success has resulted in the need for a further major expansion to manage current activity levels and future-proof the harbour for major expansion”

Minister Creed explained that “Government Policy is to substantially increase the landings into Ireland from all vessels that fish in the waters around Ireland. We want to see Ireland become the hub for all the marine activities that can be generated by the sustainable harvesting of these renewable resources in our marine sphere. Developing our Fishery Harbour Centres, such as Castletownbere, to facilitate our industry and be able to attract and handle these landings is a key step in achieving our ambitions in this area, in line with the Governments integrated marine development strategy “Harnessing our Ocean Wealth”

In summing up, the Minister said “I view this project as a testament not only to this Governments support for the Castletownbere fishing industry and the ongoing development of the wider seafood sector, but also to our commitment to the social and economic development of rural coastal communities. When completed, the new facilities will be on a par with the best in Europe, and will significantly drive forward the fishing industry and local economy on the Beara Peninsula and allow for a major expansion of the seafood support sector and other marine related industries in the South West. The expanded landing facilities and increased quay space will also provide opportunities for further economic diversification.”

The project has been proposed for part funding under Ireland’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme, co-funded the Government of Ireland and the European Union.

The Minister concluded that “the Irish seafood industry faces on going challenges, such as the significant challenge of Brexit. By providing world class landing facilities for our industry and for the many other EU vessels that we wish to operate out of Ireland, we are protecting our coastal communities and creating the opportunity for the seafood industry to continue to grow, prosper and facilitate a simultaneous growth of other ancillary marine industries.”

Welcoming the decision by Cork County Council the Minister said ”The granting of planning permission on May 1st paves the way for works to start on this project, which has been in gestation for some time.”

The new project is being undertaken in tandem with the development of a fit for purpose Harbour Administration Building on the mainland and will bring the facilities in Ireland’s Premier white fish port up to best International Standards.

The Minister added: “On foot of receiving Planning Permission my Department has now instigated a formal tendering process for the construction works with a closure date of June 8th. On completion of the tender process I expect to be in a position to award a contract and for works to commence by the end of October”

The major quayside extension is in direct response to the increased fishing activity in Castletown Bere since the last major development in 2010. Overall landings have increased from 19,030t in 2010 with a value of €29.9m to 30,522t and a value of €99.4m in 2017

The Minister went on to say: “Taking account of the increased level of activity in Castletown Bere and the unprecedented success in increasing landings by foreign vessels from 370 in 2010 to 1,543 in 2017, I am delighted that this major capital investment proposal has got the green light”

The Minister concluded by saying: “When completed the new facilities for the fishing industry and the wider seafood sector in Castletown Bere will be on a par with the best in Europe. This will drive forward the local economy on the Beara Peninsula and allow for a major expansion of the seafood support sector and other marine related industries in the South West. The expanded landing facilities will also provide opportunities for further economic diversification.”

#Rowing: Castletownbere, representing Ireland, finished 14th in the A Final of the women’s coxed quadruple at the World Coastal Rowing Championships in Thonon on Lake Geneva in France.

Greece won an exciting race, recovering from a mistake to take over the lead from Germany by the eighth buoy. Italy pushed into second, while Germany clung on to third. They held off Russia, who had led early in the race, by .36 of a second. Galley Flash won the B Final, and Cairndhu finished second.